porter



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

W. C. PORTER. GOUNTING MACHINE.

No. 596,665. N f Patented Jan. 4,1898.

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THE Noams Pneus so.. moro-uws.. msn-msnm n c UNITED STATES PATnNT trice..

IVILLIAM C. PORTER, OF ARLINGTON, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR OF ONF-HALF TO AUGUST G. OBERNOLTE, OF SAME PLACE.

COUNTlNG-MCHHN.

SPECIFICATION forming part or" Letters Patent No. 596,665, dated January d, 1898. Application iiled January 25, 1897. Serial No. 620,659. (No model.)

To all whom 25 may concern:

Beit known that 1, WILLIAM C. PORTER, a citizen of the 'United States, residing at Arlington, in the county of Sibley and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Counting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to counting-machines in which each of one series of buttons repre- Io sents a unit and each button of another series represents ten; and the objects of my invention are to provide and so arrange said series of buttons, with appropriate mechanism to manipulate the same, that the result of the addition of a column of figures may be clearly shown by the machine. I attain these objects by the mechanism. illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which` Figure 1 is a perspective view of the entire 2o machine. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same with a portion of the frame broken away.

j Fig. 3 is a detail showing a plan view of the button cut-off. Fig. i is a detail showing' the push-rod which operates between the mechanism which holds the units-buttons and the mechanism which manipulates the tens-buttons. Fig. 5 is a detail of the same, showing a variation of construction by which the pushrod is made integral with the rocking bar.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The frame 1 is secured to a base or table 2.

To the frame 1 the horizontal rod 3 is rigidly secured at one end. Upon the rod 3 a series of buttons 4: are placed so that they will each slide freely upon the rod. A second or vertical rod 5 is loosely secured at one end to the frame 1, upon which rod is placed a series of buttons G, which will also slide freely upon 4o 'the rod. A rocking bar 7 is pivoted to the frame 1 at 8 and is provided at its upper end with a cut-off 9, hereinafter described. At the lower end of the bar 7 a helical spring 10 is secured, the other end of which spring is 4 5 attached to the frame 1, Fig. 2, in such manner that it tends to draw the lower end of the rocking bar inward toward the frame and the upper end of'said bar away from the frame. A projection 11 may extend from the bar 7 5o inward into a slot 12 in the frame 1 for the purpose of preventing lateral play of the bar 7.

"Upon the rod 3 is loosely secured a head 13 with its sleeve 1i, to which sleeve the head is rigidly secured. A push-rod 15 is rigidly se cured at one end to the head 13 and is provided at the other end with a transverselygrooved head 10. The rocking bar 7 fits into the groove of the head 1G, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The rod 15 passes through apertures in the walls of the frame 1, as shown in Fig. 2, in which it iits loosely. The action of spring 10 has the effect of moving the pushrod 15 horizontally in the direction of the head 13, carrying with it the head 13 and sleeve let, until the head 16 has come in contact with the wall of the frame 1, when further motion is arrested and the parts are in the position shown in Fig. 1.

To reduce the number of pieces in the mechanism, the push-rod 15 may be formed as a part of the rocking bar 7 as shown in Fig. 5. The inner end of the pnsh-rod'will then play against the head 13 instead of being rigidly secured to it. The vertical rod 5 is so pivoted to the :traine 1 that it may be turned forward on said pivot, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. A helical spring 17, operating' between the rod 5 and frame 1, tends to bring the rod 5 back to a horizontal position. To render the rod 5 steady and hold it more securely in its horizontal position, I prefer to provide a brace 1S, projecting from the frame 1 or made integral therewith, having at its upper end a iiat spring 19, into a slight indentation on the under surface of which spring 19 iits the upper end or cap 2O of the rod 5. The cut-off 9 is provided with fingers 21, the free ends of which fingers are bent twice at right angles and have an inward extension 22 over and parallel with the main body of the fingers, with a space between said body and inward extension 22 equal to the thickness of one of the buttons 6, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and The space laterally between said two inward iin ger extensions 22 is less than the width of the buttons 6, as is also the space laterally between the bases of said iingers, so that the buttons 6 will be held above and upon said inward extensions 22, as shown in Fig. 1, and upon said finger-bases, as ico shown in Fig. 2, as the case maybe, without dropping below the cut-off; but the space laterally between 'that part of said fingers 2]. which lies beneath the inward extensions 22 is greater than the width of the buttons G, u

so that when a button is brought beneath the extensions 22 it will drop beneath the cut-off and to the lower end of rod 5. An indexplate may be secured to rod 5, so as to stand parallel with and to the rear of said rod, upon which plate will be placed numerals which indicate the number represented by the several buttons G as they are dropped below the cut-off, as shown in Fig. l. lVhen it is desired to lift all the buttons G above the cut-off 0, the cap 2O will be released from beneath the spring l0 and the rod 5 swung outward, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The buttons 6 will then be lifted to the upper end of rod 5 by means of the handle 211C, which moves freely on rod 5. The rod 5 will then be returned to its horizontal position, with the cap 2O beneath the spring lil. rlhe operator will release handle 2li, which will drop to the lower end of rod 5, the base of handle 24 where it encircles rod 5 being narrower horizontally than the space between the two inward extensions 22, so that said handle is free to drop below the cut-off 9 when released. Before beginning an addition the buttons 6 should all be lifted above the eut-off and buttons 4 pushed toward the inner end of rod The operation of the machine is as follows: Supposing that the operator has a column of figures to add consisting of the following numbers: 6, 7, D, S, S, 2, 5, 7, 9, 5. lle iirstdraws to the outer end of rod 3 six buttons, as shown in Fig. l, thus registering six units. The next number, 7, calls for the remaining four buttons on rod 3 (making ten) and three more, which latter must be obtained by returning to the outer end of rod 3 and pushing inward all buttons l except the first three. Each time that there is a return to the outer end of rod 3 ten has been reached in addition, so that the operator pushes inward on the fourth button 4f, (counting from the outer end,) so as to operate the rocking bar 7 (through the push-rod l5) and with it the cut-off i), throwing them in the position shown in Fig. 2. lle then releases his pressure, the cut-off and rocking bar return to the position shown in Fig. l, and one of the buttons 6 has been brought beneath the extensions 22 and dropped to the lower end of rod 5, thus registering 10, while 3 is registered on the rod 3, making in all thirteen, the sum of the addition of G and 7. Next, 9 is added, which exhausts the remaining or inner buttons on rod 3 and uses two more at the outer end. Again, the cut-olf is operated as before, thus registering two tens or 20 on rod 5 and two units on rod 3, making twenty-two, the sum of the first three numerals. Next, S is added, which j ust/requires the inner buttons remaining on rod 3,in which case all buttons may be pushed inward on rod 3 and the cut-off operated as before, thus registering three tens or 30 on rod 5 and nothing on rod 3 as the sum of the iirst four numbers. In like manner the 2, 5, 7, 9, and 5 are added, when six tens or G0 will be registered on rod 5 and six units on rod i3, making the total sum of the numbers named sixty-six, as appears on Fig. l.

The method just described will be varied 'for the purpose of greater speed. For instance, suppose the operator has registered six units on rod 3 and the next number he wishes to add is either six, seven, eight, or nine. ln either case the operator must rcturn to the outer end of rod 3 and operate the cnt-off to register a ten. This is more conveniently done by simply dropping back toward the outer end of rod 8 instead of counting forward. For instance, nine would be added by dropping back one button-that is, by pushing the sixth button inward-at the same time operating the cut-off to register a ten. Eight would be added by dropping back two buttons, seven by dropping back three buttons, and six by dropping back lour, in each case operating the cut-oil to register a ten. Again, the operator will group the numbers to be added into tens, making the operation of the machine consist simply in working the eut-off to register the tens until the last number is to be added. For instance, if the numbers to be added are f-l, 5, 9, 2, it, (5, 0, S, 2, 3, the operator sees at a glance that the four and tive and one borrowed from the nine makes a ten, which he registers by pushing inward the outer button 4: to operate the eut-off. Next, the remainder of the nine and the two make another ten, which he registers as before; then the four and six make a ten; the nine and one borrowed from the eight make a ten; the remainder of the eight, the two, and one borrowed from the three make a ten, each of which is registered, making five tens in all, and the operator has two units to register on rod 3, making the snm iifty-two, all of which can be done without looking at the m aehine until the end. The operator in ay obtain his groups of ten by bringing together numbers which are not adjacent to each other in the column to be added, or in any manner that he may desire. Again, since the numbers from eight to twelve are easily registered on the machine without looking, (to register twelve simply requiring to move forward or inward on rod 3 two buttons, at the same time operating the cut-oth) none of these numbers requiring a change inward or outward on rod 5 of more than two buttons, it is therefore often convenient to group the numbers to be added into such groups of from eight to twelve as they most conveniently 'l'all into as the eye passes up or down the column, taking now a group of twelve and next a group of eight, nine, ten, or eleven, as the case requires. In the operation of the machine by grouping into tens or into eight to twelve the eye of the operator does not need to leave the column oll numbers to be added until the end is reached.

Since the inner button 4. (shown on rod 3 IOO IIO

in Figs. l and 2) is to register ten units, which can be always done on rod 5, said button may be omitted. There are thirty buttons G on rod 5 shown. No particular number of these buttons is essential, but I iind the number shown convenient and sufficient for all ordinary Worl rl`he rod 5 may be placed at an angle, but l prefer to have it stand vertical, or substantially so, when the machine is in operation.

The machine described is simple in construction, easy of operation, makes possible rapid addition with but little mental labor and no mental strain, and is withal a most practical device.

Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isfl. In a counting-machine, the combination of a series of buttons adapted to represent units, so movably confined that they may be readily grouped by hand to register the result of addition in units, a second series of buttons adapted to represent tens also movably coniined in the machine and mechanism adapted to be operated by hand and to assemble said lastnamed buttons singly into a group to register tens in the result of addition, substantially as specified.

2. ln a counting-machine, the combination of a series of buttons loosely coniined upon a horizontal rod, a second series of buttons loosely coniined upon an upright rod, means for holding said last-named buttons at the upper end of their rod, and for releasing them singly, substantially as specied.

In a counting-machine, the combination of a series of buttons loosely confined upon a horizontal rod, a second series of buttons loosely coniined upon an upright rod, a cutoff adapted to hold said last-named buttons at the upper end of their rod, and adapted to be moved back and forth and thereby to drop said last-named buttons one at a time below said cut-off and mechanism adapted so to move said cut-off by pressure applied to and removed from any one of said first series of buttons, substantially as shown and described.

1l. In a counting-machine, the combination of a series of buttons loosely confined upon a horizontal rod, a second series of buttons loosely coniined upon an upright rod, a rocking bar pivoted to the frame and bearing a cut-off which is adapted to hold said lastnamed buttons at the upper end of their rod, said cut-off being further adapted to drop one of said last-named buttons below it upon the rod each time said rocking bar is rocked back and forth, and mechanism operating between said iirst series ot buttons and said rocking baradapted to rock said bar by pressure upon any one of said last-named buttons, substantially as set forth.

5. ln a countingsmachine, the combination of a series of buttons loosely conned upon a horizontal rod, va second series of buttons loosely conned upon an upright rod, the rocking bar 7, the cut-off 9, the head 13, the sleeve la, the push-rod 15 and the spring lO substantially as herein set forth.

6. ln a counting-machine, the combination of the rod 5, the series of buttons (i, the cutoff 9 and mechanism adapted to operate said cutoff, substantially as shown and described.

7. ln a counting-machine, the combination ot the rod 5, the series of buttons 6, means for engaging and holding said rod iirmly at its upper end, the cut-oi'i' 9 and mechanism adapted to operate said cutoff, substantially as shown and described.

8. In a counting-machine, the combination of the rod 5, the series of buttons 6, the handle 24, the index-plate 23, the cut-off 9 and mechanism adapted to operate said cutnotf, substantially as shown and described.

lV. C. PORTER.

Witnesses:

V. F. SCHMALL, ARTHUR NEWMAN. 

